Newsroom
OSCE Centre in Almaty emphasizes importance of observing international legal standards
ALMATY 10 September 2001
ALMATY, 10 September 2001 (OSCE) - The OSCE Centre in Almaty, in connection with the end of the trial of the former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Akezhan Kazhegeldin, emphasizes the importance of observing international standards related to the judiciary.
The Centre closely monitored the court procedure regarding Mr. Kazhegeldin's case. An OSCE representative attended several hearings at the Kazakhstan Supreme Court.
Given the fact that Mr. Kazhegeldin was a high-ranking Government official, and is at the moment the leader of an opposition party, the Centre is concerned about certain issues, such as, for example, that the principle of equal rights of both sides involved may have been jeopardized because of the trial having been held in absentia. Moreover, it is questionable whether the presumption of innocence was fully observed by mass media and governmental structures throughout the process.
In the Copenhagen Document, the participating States solemnly declared that elements of justice include the independence of judges and the impartial operation of the public judicial service (5.12), and that everyone, in the determination of any criminal charge against him, or of his rights and obligations in a suit at law, be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law (5.16).
--
For more information please contact the OSCE Centre in Almaty, tel.: +732 72 621 762, e-mail osce@nursat.kz.
The Centre closely monitored the court procedure regarding Mr. Kazhegeldin's case. An OSCE representative attended several hearings at the Kazakhstan Supreme Court.
Given the fact that Mr. Kazhegeldin was a high-ranking Government official, and is at the moment the leader of an opposition party, the Centre is concerned about certain issues, such as, for example, that the principle of equal rights of both sides involved may have been jeopardized because of the trial having been held in absentia. Moreover, it is questionable whether the presumption of innocence was fully observed by mass media and governmental structures throughout the process.
In the Copenhagen Document, the participating States solemnly declared that elements of justice include the independence of judges and the impartial operation of the public judicial service (5.12), and that everyone, in the determination of any criminal charge against him, or of his rights and obligations in a suit at law, be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law (5.16).
--
For more information please contact the OSCE Centre in Almaty, tel.: +732 72 621 762, e-mail osce@nursat.kz.